OPINION PIECES: Finding Peace in God: Overcoming Anxiety through Faith, Fasting, and Prayer

Meeting with Pastor Francisco Brandão

Weekly Christian Reflection

Finding Peace in God: Overcoming Anxiety through Faith, Fasting, and Prayer

Key Verse: 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (NIV)

Peace and harmony in our lives often depend on the balance of our attitudes. Therefore, it is crucial for us to learn to act wisely both in times of peace and in times of war or conflicts. If we fail to do so, we run the risk of using different weapons at inappropriate moments. In this context, faith guides us to a balanced life, while anxiety leads us astray. Faith, fasting, prayer, and anxiety are four elements present within us and sometimes they intertwine. We need wisdom not to be misled. How can we know if our perception of God is not simply a result of anxiety? How can we overcome anxiety and return to faith? The verse 1 Peter 5:7 exhorts us to cast all our anxiety upon God because He cares for us. Faith generates prayer, which in turn brings peace and calmness as we wait upon God. Anxiety, on the other hand, feeds conflicting human thoughts and carnal desires. We need to meditate on Jesus' experience, who spent 40 days in prayer and fasting in the face of anxiety. Just like Him, fasting is also part of returning to a life of prayer and strengthening our faith. The Bible encourages us to ask God for more faith, for those without faith must seek the Lord.

The book of Hebrews provides clarity on the importance of faith in the Christian life and how it enables us to draw near to God, trusting in His promises even when we do not see them fulfilled immediately. Hebrews 11:1 teaches us that faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the conviction of what we do not see. It is through faith that we are able to please God, as stated in Hebrews 11:6, for those who approach Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

Furthermore, Hebrews 10:22 encourages us to approach God with a sincere heart and full conviction of faith, purifying our consciences and being washed with pure water. Faith allows us to understand that the universe was formed by the word of God, as stated in Hebrews 11:3, and it empowers us to trust in divine promises, just as Sarah trusted in God to become a mother even in old age (Hebrews 11:11).

Faith is the instrument that leads us to please God. The book of Hebrews also highlights the perseverance of those who lived by faith, even without seeing the promises of God fulfilled in their entirety. They recognized that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth and greeted the promises from afar (Hebrews 11:13). Faith sustained them and gave them courage to face difficult situations, like Moses, who persevered without fear because he saw the One who is invisible (Hebrews 11:27).

Therefore, faith is the instrument that leads us to please God. It is through faith that we draw near to Him, trust in His promises, persevere in times of challenges, and recognize that we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, awaiting the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises. May we cultivate a firm and confident faith, following the example of the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews, and thus please our God.

Fasting is a spiritual discipline. The book of Matthew teaches us about the practice of fasting with sincerity and devotion, emphasizing the importance of not seeking approval from others but rather seeking personal communion with God. In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus warns against hypocrisy in fasting and encourages us to fast in secret, so that it becomes an intimate expression between us and our heavenly Father. He assures us that God, who sees in secret, will reward us.

Moreover, Jesus mentions a time when His disciples would fast, referring to His own physical absence after His death and resurrection (Matthew 9:14-15). This statement indicates that fasting is a spiritual practice that remains relevant for followers of Jesus. It is a way to seek God, humble ourselves before Him, and seek His will in our lives.

Therefore, the book of Matthew teaches us that fasting is an important spiritual discipline but should be practiced with proper motivations. We should fast to draw near to God in sincerity and personal communion, seeking His will rather than the approval of others. May we adopt a posture of humility before God when fasting, trusting that He will reward us and lead us into a deeper relationship with Him.